Next Year's Words
by RoseMuse
Summary: The world has changed and life goes on. Shikamaru/Temari drabbles. Includes some post-manga material.
1. Sick Day

"It's seriously nothing." She said, resisting Shikamaru's protests. Sitting upon the mattress, she looked sweaty and disheveled - red-nosed and pigtails slightly skewed. What she'd said had sounded a lot more like, _"Ids seriously nothig."_

"I have to go to work." Temari insisted.

Shikamaru wasn't terribly good at this; feeling exhausted, already, from his attempts at convincing her otherwise. She was as stubborn as a rock wall. He'd just wanted a quiet, easy day off.

"So you intend to make everyone else sick at work?"

"It's probably just Spring allergies, after spending weeks in this overgrown jungle of a village." Temari waved it off. "I'm not sick!"

She'd already half-pulled off her sweatshirt before devolving into a fit of coughing.

Apparently, this called for drastic measures.

"Okay, fine." Shikamaru shrugged, quickly changing tactic. "I guess there's no stopping you."

Temari responded with a grunt of approval, reaching for her combat clothing.

Making his way into the kitchen, he mentally thanked his past self for picking up more groceries the day before. Soon, a pot was boiling on the burner, kelp, chopped radish, mushrooms, cabbage and onions bubbling.

After a short while, Temari peered around the corner, curious. "Is that… kenchin soup?"

"Yup." Shikamaru said, adding tofu to the mix.

The incredibly flat look he received in return meant she'd seen right through him.

"It's too bad that you'll miss having it while it's still warm, getting ready for your busy day and all." He said nonchalantly.

"I guess I wouldn't mind waiting around for a little." Temari grumbled after a moment, sniffling. It was her favorite dish, after all. And he'd expended an unusual amount of energy in making it.

It wasn't long before her apprehension turned to delight, the two sitting down to eat.

"This is good! Really good!" Temari said with surprise, mouth full of soup. "I didn't know you could cook so well. Why didn't you tell me?"

"I had my reasons." He muttered. "Don't anticipate too much from me. This is just a one-time deal kinda thing."

She stole an onion slice from his bowl. "Oh, I'm going to exploit this knowledge."

He had kind of expected as much.

"Shit, it's already nine-thirty." Temari glanced at the clock worriedly. Then she began coughing again.

Shikamaru placed a blanket from a nearby chair around her shoulders. Deciding to make the final move, he kissed her lightly on the lips.

"I'm going to have to let the Hokage know I won't be in." She said, pulling away slightly, her stubbornness crumbling.

"Already sent a memo." Shikamaru said.

Temari sighed, eyeing him with a clear combination of fondness and annoyance. "Fine. I'll stay home and try to get well." She hesitantly leaned in again. "I hope I won't give you my cold…"

"It's fine." He supposed he wouldn't particularly mind having more days off if so. They kissed once more. Their kisses carried on.

"But I'll have you know," Temari said, shrugging off her blanket and yukata, "this is just a one-time deal kinda thing."

"So you say." Shikamaru retorted, meeting her lips once more with a smile.


	2. Winter

Of course he was worried about the task at hand, but some small part of Shikamaru couldn't help privately thinking that the mission he was currently on was entirely too much of a pain.

It was a completely moonless night, heavy clouds overhead threatening dustings of snow. He was curled up in a small hollow of a cliffside, on first watch, wrapped in not much else aside from his uniform and a standard-issue cloak. His other teammates lay close to the fire nearby. (Naruto almost singing his nose, it seemed, in an attempt to stay warm.)

If Shikamaru were at home, he'd have hot tea and all of his work for the day would be done and he could be comfy on the couch with blankets while Temari ran her fingers through his hair… His hands unconsciously reached for his neckline - a habit he'd developed over the past week - to feel the raised bump under the collar of his flak jacket and the cool circle of metal beneath pressing into his collarbone. He drew it out the silver ring on its chain to look at it, its surface glinting slightly in the firelight.

"AHA!" Naruto's voice startled him and Shikamaru jumped a bit, quickly concealing the object once more, wondering at how he'd let himself get caught off guard. "Is that what I think it is?!"

Shikamaru sat up and glared at him. Naruto's nose was slightly smudged with charcoal. He bit back an amused smile, continuing to frown instead, "Shut up, Naruto. It's nothing. Go back to sleep."

A few of the others had woken up as well. Chouji, nearby, shifted to sit up and gave his friend an apologetic shrug. Was the entire camp awake?

"Really, it's nothing." Shikamaru reiterated, hoping his expression would convey that he was done talking about it.

"It was definitely a ring." Naruto said. He was either ignoring Shikamaru or completely oblivious to Shikamaru's attempts at dropping the subject. Likely the latter.

"Are you and Temari engaged?" Naruto asked bluntly.

Chouji was the only person Shikamaru had really told so far - and he looked thoroughly uncomfortable with this situation.

Shikamaru sighed, relenting. He supposed it wouldn't hurt much for other people to know, now. "Yes. Temari and I are engaged. Go back to sleep now."

Instead, he was enveloped by his smoky-smelling friend in a bear hug. Shikamaru shoved him away.

"Ugh, get off."

"That's so great, though!" Naruto said excitedly, "Congrats!"

"Thanks, I guess." As ridiculous as the situation was, Shikamaru found that he couldn't help smiling.


	3. Firsts

_A few more chapters! Sorry for the mistakes, I'm a bit of a lazy writer sometimes._

* * *

_(set some time after part I)_

The day after the exams ended, he met her in front of the inn. The same as he'd done every noon for some time, now. It wasn't much different from other days; the two of them leisurely strolling through the streets, casually talking.

"Your teammates were really something this time around. The other Leaf genin, too. Seeing so many of them promoted was kind of impressive." Temari was saying.

Shikamaru found himself smiling a little at that, "Yeah… I knew they could accomplish it. It was interesting to see such a high turnout of Sand genin this season, too; a lot of them weren't half bad either. The matches were kinda… enjoyable."

When he looked back at her, Temari appeared to be laughing a bit, turning her face to hide a grin.

"What's so funny?" Shikamaru asked, his smile shifting into a small frown.

"Oh, it's just unusual to see you expressing any kind of enthusiasm over the exams when just last week you were complaining about how tedious they were." Temari elbowed him lightly.

He supposed he had gotten a bit carried away. "Tch. Just shut up." He awkwardly stuffed his hands into his pockets, avoiding her gaze.

Their conversation had been so engrossing that he almost hadn't realized they'd already made it to the gate. Before he could say anything, though, Temari tilted her head in the direction of the road. "Walk with me for a bit?"  
Wordlessly, he shrugged and followed her. It could only mean she wanted to talk with him more. There wasn't really much that they could discuss further on that couldn't be done at the gate. It was likely work-related.

Dappled sunlight shone through the trees onto the hard-packed earth, a warm breeze stirring the leafy branches. A particularly strong gust stirring Temari's hair into her eyes.

Without thinking (shock registering dully in his brain a few seconds later at realizing this) Shikamaru reached over and brushed the blonde strands out of the way. Then drew his hand away in a flinch, completely expecting her to immediately snap his fingers off.

However, they merely watched one another for a moment, blinking. "Ah…" Temari ducked her head, then muttered a quick, "Thanks." before hurrying on.

The realization was slowly dawning on Shikamaru, that, though they'd worked together for a good several weeks, he wouldn't be seeing Temari the next day. And he'd have no need to make the usual midday walk to the inn, nor would they be able to complain about other examiners over lunch. No sight of her wide grin, sneaking quickly onto her face, or her eyes squeezing shut in laughter. Or the rare soft looks he sometimes caught on the generally intimidating girl's face; when she talked about her brothers or when she helped a young, crying academy student find their way to the municipal building or when she chatted tiredly with him late into the night over shogi and coffee and paperwork, moths fluttering at porch lights.

She had surprisingly quiet moments and, in spite of her (often) frightening attitude, she did value peace. And, somehow, he'd found her presence oddly comfortable.

Of course, Shikamaru had known that once the work term was over, they'd be going their own ways and going about their own business, but he hadn't really expected the emotions that came with doing so. He wasn't really sure what to even make of said emotions and he wasn't sure if he felt all that ready to explore them or place much hope in anything of the sort, anyway.

From the look in her eyes, he could almost imagine she was thinking the same.

"So…" Shikamaru began, hoping to fill the uncomfortable silence, "Won't be seeing you around the place for a while. Guess it'll kinda be a relief, not having to look out for such a scary Sand kunoichi day in and day out." Internally, he winced, noting his sarcasm only felt off-key in this situation. "Anyway." He went on, "Hope you have an easy trip home. Is there anything else you'd wanted to go over before you head back?" He prompted her. She'd dragged him out this far past the gate, after all.

He couldn't really find the courage to ask her if she'd be returning for the next exams, however.

"I just wanted to thank you, I guess." Temari said to him, not quite meeting his eyes. "Your escort and guide services were really exceptional - and I'll see to it that you're compensated for your time by the Sand as well."

"Oh." Shikamaru felt embarrassment welling in the pit of his stomach. "That's really not necessary."

They rounded a bend in the road.

"Well, it was appreciated. Working with you as an examiner again might not be _too_ bad. And, before I leave…" Temari halted in the middle of the road, an uncharacteristic blush tinting her cheeks, "I just wanted to thank you personally."

Shikamaru stopped as well. He was still attempting to process her words when she suddenly kissed him. Her warm lips against his own, her close scent of soap and tea…

And in a moment, she was off, racing away from tree limb to tree limb above.

Shikamaru wasn't exactly sure how he'd wound up back home, but he was fairly convinced he'd floated there.


	4. Thunderstorm

Temari sits on the covered porch, the summer rain dripping in sheets from the eaves into the green garden. The air is cool and smells like shiso and damp earth. Starlings call from the grasses.

Thunder sounds again, distant. However, it isn't enough to stir Shikamaru, his head on her shoulder, or her small son sleeping soundly in her lap.

She shifts a bit on the wooden flooring, quickly drifting off again - lulled by the sounds of their soft, even breathing and the rain.


	5. Habits

_I wrote this a few years ago for an older fic collection, but I liked it enough to want to re-publish it._

* * *

The wind stung, twigs and leaves snapping and whipping past him as he squeezed his eyes shut. Practically driving the very breath from him.

After it had died down, he opened his eyes. Temari stood a short distance in front of him, silhouetted against the afternoon sky with open fan.

He found himself feeling _very_ glad that she was on his side at the moment. (Even if it was in the loosest of terms when it came to him, probably.)

She turned and walked toward him, grinning brilliantly, teal eyes sparkling dangerously. A bead of sweat trickled along her jaw line, down her neck and into the collar of her yukata.

Holy shit, but she was scary. And beautiful.

"Why is it that I always happen to be saving your ass?" Temari drawled, closing her fan and leaning upon it, gloved hand resting on the curve of her hip.

He met her stare, keeping his bored, deadpan expression. "Really? Don't tell me you don't enjoy always being the first one to rush to my rescue."

Even if it meant her chasing him across the remaining treetops with her fan, it was probably worth it just to see her blush.


	6. Music

The distaste on Shikamaru's face was obvious, standing stiffly next to the wall, untouched soda in hand.

Sakura and Ino were belting out an older idol hit along with the karaoke machine, each of them attempting to out-do the other in terms of volume, apparently

(Temari winced a little. She liked Sakura, but the young woman had no sense of tone whatsoever.)

At the other wall, Team 8 were in deep discussion about what seemed to be songs that related to animals, while Naruto, Sai, Lee, Tenten and Chouji were arguing over who would be going next.

"Wanna slip out?" Temari murmured to him, joining him at the wall.

"Ugh. They'd notice if we did." Shikamaru said. "And then they'd chase us down and drag us back here."

"Hmm. I suppose you're right. Still…" Temari looked over the group thoughtfully. "I think we're lucky to have friends who would."

That made him smile a bit.

Ino and Sakura finished their song and Ino immediately made a beeline toward them, a large (and slightly worrisome) smile on her face.

"So, are you two going to give it a shot?" She asked.

"Uh… I'd rather…" Shikamaru muttered uncomfortably.

Temari waved a hand, feeling slightly nervous. "Oh, I'd rather not."

Unfortunately, the others in the room seemed to have taken notice as well.

"Oh, come on." Tenten insisted, "Practically everyone's had a turn except for the two of you."

Shino adjusted his glasses, looking up from the menu, "It's important participate in an activity if you've been invited to it. Because -"

"Just go for it!" Kiba said, cutting Shino off.

"Yeah!" Others began to chime in.

"I suppose we could…" Temari sighed in resignation, glancing back at Shikamaru.

He looked a little mortified. However, after a moment, he set his drink aside. "Fine. We might as well." He held out a hand to Temari. "…Just one, though."


	7. Forest

_**NSFW material. I probably won't be adding much smut to these drabbles, but when I do, I'll be sure to post with warnings!**_

* * *

"You know…" Shikamaru said hesitantly as he backed into the tree behind him. "There are a lot of reasons why this is a generally bad idea, Temari."

Temari raised her brows, lips pouting teasingly as she tilted her head up to kiss him again. "Do enlighten me."

"We're on public land. In the forest. _On a mission_. I could list other reasons far less dire, but I suppose those would matter less to you and I'd rather not expend the energy explaining myself."

"Then maybe you could expend that energy elsewhere?" Temari said smoothly, still not seeming one bit concerned, her hot breath mingling with his. She leaned closer, her body firm against his own. He could feel her warmth even through his flak jacket. Temari's mouth was against his again and he lost his train of thought, moving his own lips over hers.

They went on for a little while, until he parted from her to speak.

"…If we make it quick." He finally agreed.

Shikamaru had barely said the words before she had started kissing him again. Harder this time. After a moment, though, she broke away, gazing at him through hooded eyes.

Even after all these years, he was still not completely sure as to why this woman stirred up his emotions so much. Temari was loud and sometimes harsh and hot-headed and more than a little scary. On the other hand, she was brilliant, too, and kind and relentlessly brave… Easy on the eyes, as well. Which was nice.

And she'd saved him many times - in more ways than one.

"Like what you see?" She asked, grinning slyly at him in an almost vulpine fashion.

"Just admiring your audacity. A little." Shikamaru replied swiftly and she flicked his forehead. He smiled, then lowered his head to kiss her cheek, then down her neck and into her collar.

"Starting out, I didn't have much hope for you, but you've really gotten better at this." Temari said contentedly as he moved further down. "Much better."

She quickly unlaced her shirt, - though she still wore fishnet beneath. She inhaled sharply as he ignored it and moved his mouth to one breast anyway, finding her nipples already pert and hard.

They slid down the tree, sitting among the roots.

Almost immediately, Temari had pulled him on top of her.

"Ugh. Not so rough." He grunted as she brought him close.

He felt himself growing harder against her thigh through his pants - she was wearing one of her short skirts again. She slipped down the shorts she wore beneath her skirt, expelling a heated breath as she did so. She was already fairly wet.

He swallowed.

"Should I…" He began, but she'd already grasped his hand, directing it to the exact place she apparently wanted him to be.

"You're never one to beat around the bush." He murmured.

"Generally, no." She smirked - and then gasped as he moved his hand against her, sliding a finger into her.

He moved his hand quickly, attending to the places she seemed to enjoy most. After just a short while, she could barely contain herself from crying out. "If - if you do this any longer, I think I might…" She told him breathily.

Shikamaru stopped, embarrassedly aware of his own obvious arousal.

"Um. Should we go ahead? Are you alright?" His whole head felt hot and he was probably blushing to his ear tips. Temari let out a small snort of laughter.

"Of course." She reassured him, answering both questions.

She unbuckled his pants, drawing out his stiff member, and he slid himself between her legs, carefully pushing into her until he almost filled her.

Temari took him by the shoulders, bringing him close for a kiss.

"I'm sorry. I know you worry." Her kisses were sweet and soft and he found himself a little dizzy with her scent.

"Well, I love you, you know." Shikamaru told her a bit lazily, attempting to veil how overwhelmed he felt by the sensations of her movement around him. He did mean it, though.

Surprisingly, Temari bashfully glanced away from his gaze, "You're too damn sweet, sometimes." She met his eyes again with a very fond expression, "But, I… I love you, too."

She moved against him and he shivered at the feeling.

"I do like it when you're a little quicker, though." Temari admitted.

He didn't intend to disappoint her.

Soon, she was heaving against him, moaning as he thrust into her.

Her mouth was sealed upon his, their tongues intertwining. Her breasts pushed against him and her arms held him fast. Sweat dripped down her neck and the moist sounds from the apex of their thighs only drove them forward more.

"More." Temari breathed between kisses, "Please."

Shikamaru buried his face into her shoulder, his pace simultaneously deepening and growing faster. She raised her hips, stifling her cries against his shoulder.

"Temari…" he groaned, the sensations building.

"Inside this time is fine." She panted, and, at those words, he felt himself slip over the edge.

Not long after, she tightened around him, the two curling close in climax.

They relaxed, catching their breaths, limbs and muscles loosening.

"Sorry to have tired you out." Temari said, cupping his cheek.

"You don't need to apologize." He told her, kissing her as she sighed contentedly.

"This was a little messier than I'd envisioned it to be." Temari brushed dirt and leaves from her hair.

"Another reason why doing this here was probably not a great idea." Shikamaru pointed out. But he kissed her forehead.

"Well, bad idea or not, it just means we'll have to stop by a bathhouse at the next village." Temari said, cuddling closer.

"I suppose so." He sighed. Though he didn't mind the new proposition at all.


	8. Restless

_Just kind of felt like writing a quiet, thoughtful moment between the two._

* * *

"I don't like it." Temari murmured, half to herself. Their paperwork laid momentarily abandoned, the two resting together upon the tatami of her hotel room with their backs against her mattress.

Shikamaru raised his head from her shoulder where he'd been resting. "Well. You weren't complaining about the paperwork before. And nothing has gone horrifically wrong today, as far as I'm aware. We've been working together all day, after all. So I can only assume you're referring to something else about the situation at hand."

Temari snorted and smushed her hand against his cheek, briefly, and he made a comical face. "And you're not angry." He added.

"I will be if you keep up the analysis, Shikamaru." Temari said. She was still always slightly annoyed with his astuteness, if only because it made her feelings difficult to hide around him.

"It's…" Temari searched for the words. She wasn't really sure why she'd said it aloud. She wished she were better at these sorts of things. "Time. I guess."

He listened with mild curiosity.

"The war has been over for a while, now, the alliances are holding… Attacks have been down to an unbelievably low percent for a good several months…" Temari went on. "And I hate to say it, but I don't like it. It's ridiculous. I've wanted this alliance and I've wanted this peace… for most of my life. I think it's because I've always been occupied in trying to bring it about. So, now that we've accomplished this, there's so much more time. I don't exactly know what to do with it. At least the Exams right now are something of a distraction."

"As unlikely as it is right now, I keep half-expecting something to happen. An attack. Some difficult mission…" Shikamaru said. "I guess I'm also pretty restless. Maybe it'll pass eventually, too. It's difficult to say. But, you know…" He bumped his head against hers, "It's not really too bad, sharing that time with somebody else."

Temari rolled her eyes, "You're a cheeseball. But you do have a point." She agreed softly, "It's not all that bad."

"What do you say to making use of some of that time right now?" Shikamaru asked, his arm sneaking around her waist.

"As long as we get those forms filled out by tonight, I might be alright with it." Temari smiled, giving him a brief peck before moving back to her papers.

"Well, I suppose that's some incentive." Shikamaru muttered, returning to his own.


	9. Early Morning

_Sorry for any mistakes. Just some similarly sleep-deprived writing._

* * *

Temari had always a light sleeper, but the past several months of pregnancy had magnified it to the degree that she'd practically become an insomniac. Sneaking naps during the day when she could. She once joked with Shikamaru that she should probably just set up a cot in the bathroom. It would be easier for her to sleep without having to make constant runs in the middle of the night to pee. (She later realized she'd only been half-joking. She would do practically anything if it meant sleeping more soundly.)

She'd also hoped that things would go smoothly in the weeks that Shikamaru had off to be at home to help her with the baby being born. Unfortunately, he'd suddenly come down with a virus on the first day and she'd confined him to bed after he'd vomited up the remnants of his dinner, draping a cool cloth over his forehead.

And that was how Temari found herself awake yet again at three in the morning, standing in the kitchen, boiling a kettle of water for tea.

Half-conscious and lost in her own thoughts, she rubbed at her stomach, trying to ignore the cramping. It was perfectly normal for the last stage, but it was rather uncomfortable. The contractions gradually faded, but then returned again quickly. Some slight anxiety began to bubble within her. She decided she'd give it another few minutes - and when they only began to intensify, she sighed, quickly making her way to the bedroom.

_Why _now_ of all times?_

"Shikamaru." Temari shook his shoulder to wake him.

He blinked groggily, scratching at his unshaven face. "Is the tea ready?"

"Um. I think I'm in labor." She explained.

He was out of bed in a flash, although he stumbled a little as he stood, holding his head.

"Hey, don't faint on me right now, okay?" Temari laughed a little nervously.

"I stood up too quickly. It's fine." He brushed it off and went to rummage in their closet.

"You still have a fever, so try to take it easy." Temari pointed out.

"Really, it's fine." He sighed as he draped a jacket and scarf over her shoulders and pushed a knit cap onto her head. He then pulled on his own and the two trudged into the entranceway to slip on their shoes.

They probably both looked ridiculous in their pajamas, and Temari in her piles of winter gear, shuffling out into the quiet streets of the Leaf Village.

Shikamaru looked more than a little ill, too. "I hadn't really accounted for sudden viruses in this situation, to be honest. I'm not sure if I wanna hurl because I'm sick or because of the baby. At least the hospital isn't too far. It'll probably be just fine and go the way it was meant to anyway, though. It's not too much of a hindrance…" He rambled on.

Temari took a deep breath as another contraction passed. "Shikamaru, shut up."

She stopped mid-stride as a thought hit her. She then exhaled, staring up at the snow softly falling down from the dark sky. "Oh, shit. There's a problem."

Immediately, Shikamaru rushed to her side, grasping her hand. Clearly trying to shove down his panic. "What is it? Are you alright?! What's the matter?!"

Placing a hand on his shoulder, she looked him in the eye, attempting to calm him.

"I left the kettle on."


	10. Summer

_I realized I hadn't really written much at all with Shikadai yet!_

_I still have some mixed feelings over the ending re. some other ships? But I am so glad Shikamaru and Temari have a lazy, snarky baby of their own._

_Also - thanks so much for the reviews! I'm glad you're enjoying these drabbles!_

* * *

It was days like these that Shikadai thought could go on endlessly. Logically, of course, they wouldn't. But some small part of himself wished they would.

Summer vacation had started the week before, and just this morning, Chouchou had sliced up watermelon from the melon patch out back. The three, Shikadai, Inojin and Chouchou, sitting lazily upon the deck at the Akimichi place, simply listening to the chimes in the breeze and eating slice after slice until they couldn't anymore. He and Chouchou had a watermelon-seed spitting contest. (Inojin claimed they were being disgusting and refused to participate.) (He soon jumped in anyway.)

They walked out to the pond, too, plucking at bulrushes and waiting for the pink carp Chouchou had said she'd seen there earlier. They didn't see it, but they had many weeks to try.

Inojin then dragged them into town to see a new comic book shop, which they spent another good hour or so at.

Later, Bolt, with Himawari in tow, insisted the three come see their new kitten. The group soon crowded around the Uzumaki porch, while the small creature, orange with stripes, chased bits of string they held. Himawari had named it Toranoko, although Bolt had wanted to name it Shima. Shikadai thought they were both rather stupid names, but managed to keep his mouth shut rather than blurt it out. Dealing with Bolt's inevitable annoying retorts wouldn't be worth the trouble.

He grudgingly had to admit that Toranoko _was_ pretty cute. Until the cat attacked his hand as he trailed a ball of string in front of it, claws digging into his skin and raising small, itchy red welts.

Luckily, Aunt Hinata, gardening nearby, had band-aids to spare. Almost effortlessly cleaning the scratches and smartly bandaging them.

"Honestly, it's almost nothing compared to what Bolt gets into." Hinata said as she waved away his apologies for the imposition, packing up her first-aid kit. Bolt, now holding Toranoko and watching with the others, blushed sheepishly.

Inojin left early to help at the family flower shop and Chouchou, apparently, had an important get-together (involving dango) to attend to with Anko.

Not exactly wanting to be left behind, Shikadai considered following Inojin to the shop. However, he decided that he'd prefer avoiding the hustle and bustle and claimed he had some training to do instead. It wasn't too far from the truth - if a calming nap in an empty training ground under the afternoon sun counted for anything.

Once there, Shikadai settled down into a nice patch of grass. (Comfortably un-soggy and non-scratchy.) The heat of the sun sank into his skin, a red flush beneath his eyelids. The buzz of cicadas sounded from the surrounding forest and the dusty scent of dirt and pollen hung in the still air. Drifting off into the sleepy afternoon.

Shikadai woke to a soft shake of his shoulder and he blinked a few times to clear the drowsiness from his eyes. His father stood next to him, wearing an amused expression. Luckily, the sun was still in the sky, though it was sinking lower.

"How about we head home for dinner?" He asked. "You wouldn't want to be late again, would you?"

Shikadai shook his head and stood, brushing grass from his clothing. "You're off a little early. And how did you manage to find me here?"

"Just a hunch." Shikamaru shrugged.

Shikadai yawned. "Well. In any case. I wish I'd had a longer nap. Even if I'd gotten into trouble for it a little. Today was really kinda tiring." He affected another yawn.

"Fine, jump on then." Shikamaru sighed, having immediately caught on. He turned away from him and proffered his arms for a piggyback. Shikadai grinned and climbed onto his back. They slowly left the training grounds, making their way onto the road.

"A tiring day, eh?" Shikamaru asked. "How so?"

"Well. Not that tiring." Shikadai admitted. "But Bolt and Himawaris' new cat scratched up my hand." Shikadai stuck his right hand, covered in band-aids, under his nose.

"Hmm. They got a cat?" Shikamaru asked and Shikadai pouted a little at his hand being ignored. "Don't they already have several pets?"

"Probably more than they can take care of." Shikadai said.

Shikamaru snorted. He then glanced at the road ahead and picked up his pace. "Oh, looks like Mom's on her way home, too." Shikadai peered over his shoulder to see his mother further up the road.

They soon caught up and the three continued at a leisurely pace.

"How does cold soba sound?" Temari asked. "We already have the other ingredients."

"With onions?" Shikamaru asked.

"If you help cut them up." Temari replied.

"…Alright, then." Shikamaru agreed, just a bit reluctantly.

Y'know, I got my hand scratched up today." Shikadai pointed out. "So I won't be able to do much… Probably…" He trailed off a bit as his mother directed a stern expression toward him. "Okay. I'll help, too."

The walk continued - nearly close to home.

His parents were speaking in low tones and the warm, safe feeling of his father's back and the continual whine of cicadas began to make Shikadai feel a bit drowsy again. His eyelids drooped.

Temari glanced back, a small smile quirking at her lips. "Must have been a long day."

"Apparently." Shikamaru murmured. "He did go through a pretty traumatic cat attack."

Temari reached out and grasped her son's right hand, "I'll have to take a look at it later - although it seems like it was taken care of well enough."

"Hinata seriously has an incredible amount of patience." Shikamaru laughed lowly and Temari laughed as well.

They turned onto their road, the familiar structure of the Nara household ahead, surrounded by trees. Temari fished her keys from out of the bag she carried.

"I think…" Temari whispered, glancing back at Shikadai, his eyes now closed. "We should probably let him off the hook a little."

"If you say so. It is summer vacation after all." Shikamaru replied in a whisper. "I'll take the sleepy little guy up to bed."

"I'll set some soba aside for him, later, and you and I can have a dinner of our own, perhaps?" Temari leaned in closer.

"I certainly won't object to that." Shikamaru leaned in as well, meeting her lips in a kiss.

Shikadai, nearly asleep, smiled.


	11. Official

_Based a little on the headcanon by one of the VAs, haha. My Eye of the Storm fic was written before the end of the manga - so, lol, my own headcanon has changed just a tiny bit. I do still think they might have discussed having a long-term relationship prior to this, though, and that fic addresses some of the discussions I definitely think they'd have._

* * *

The evening sky was beginning to darken over the Leaf Village, street lamps flickering on in the dusk.

Temari leaned back in her seat at her desk, stretching her stiff limbs. A stack of completed paperwork and the closed case of her computer sitting in front of her.

Shikamaru was rummaging around in a filing cabinet, although his work appeared to be finished as well. She entertained the thought of grabbing curry for dinner together. Just as she was about to open her mouth to ask him, though, Shikamaru made his way to her desk, placing another packet of papers in front of her.

"It's kind of a pain, but, just a few more documents to sign." He said nonchalantly.

"Ugh. Fine." She sighed, quickly scanning over the lines of words. Then scanning them again. And again. Her tiredness evaporating. "Shikamaru?" She asked, trying to remain cool and collected. "What is this?"

"It's… y'know." He'd stuffed his hands into his pockets, (an old nervous habit of his) turning his head to look out the window so she couldn't see his face. "Official documents. If you'd want to sign them."

Temari stood, still feeling a little overwhelmed. "You… You waited all day to ask me this?"

"Well…" Shikamaru turned to her again, his cheeks clearly tinged with red. "I've wanted to ask for a while but I couldn't really seem to find a good way to go about it. This just seemed to be the easiest way, with us working in the municipal offices today and all."

He removed a small box from his pocket, placing it atop the marriage license and family register application.

Temari found herself blinking at him, unable to push down her welling excitement. She opened the box - finding it contained a simple band set with a small amethyst.

"Shikamaru…" She said a little breathlessly, carefully slipping the ring onto her finger. "Of course I'll sign them. But -" She said, looking up at him "Only on one condition… That you ask me in your own words."

Shikamaru blushed in comprehension, taking her hands in his own. "I'm sorry. I'll try to do this a little more properly… So… Temari, will you marry me?"

Temari grinned - in fact she couldn't seem to _stop_ grinning. She didn't even particularly mind that they were in a dusty, cramped office. She was overwhelmingly happy. Apparently, it was infectious, because Shikamaru was grinning as well.

"Yes, I'll marry you, Shikamaru." She wrapped her arms around his neck, drawing him down into a kiss. His hands upon her waist drew her fast to his.

They kissed, slow and soft, pausing now and then for breath. Temari felt warm and just a little goofy and she stopped, drawing away slightly to laugh. "Jeez." She muttered. "Marriage documents, though, really?"

Shikamaru shrugged a bit, his hands upon her face, kissing her once again to silence her. They parted after a while and he ran a thumb over her cheek. "You know I sort of make a fool of myself around you. I completely fall apart. Honestly. What have you done to me, troublesome woman?"

Temari eagerly met his lips again. "I think we have paperwork on the brain… we just need a break from work… for a while…"

"Mmm." Shikamaru seemed to only be half-listening as they carried on, his mouth, hot, upon hers, a hand running down her arm, encircling her. "Maybe you're right."

"Well?" Temari asked between kisses, "How about it?" She smiled, letting her own hands roam down to his chest. She drew him over to his empty desk, sitting upon it. "Everyone else has left for the night."

He rested his forehead upon hers, letting his breathing slow. "It _is_ after hours. I suppose a break with my insistent girlfriend wouldn't be a problem."

"Fiancée." She corrected as they slowly sank to the wooden surface, her legs encircling his waist.

"Right. Fiancée." He murmured against her neck. She shuddered a bit in anticipation as he kissed and nipped at her collarbone.

"You're pretty insistent yourself." Temari teased him.

He sighed at having to pause as she untied her sash and pulled off her shirt. "Well… desk sex is something… a bit new…" His eyes were now glued to her and she smirked a bit, knowing full well the effect she had on him.

"We'll have plenty of years to practice." Temari pointed out and he laughed a little, leaning down once more and they kissed, roughly and passionately and insistently.

* * *

They supposed they'd seriously have to utilize those words, however, when they awkwardly made excuses to Kakashi the next morning as to why one of their desks had broken.


	12. Fruit

_Because I'm a bit of a nerd and I'm curious about Narutoverse economics? Sorry for any mistakes, here._

* * *

The local market was quieter in the mornings and the two found it much easier to maneuver. However, Shikamaru still found himself growing impatient as Temari stood stubbornly in front of a fruit stand, frowning at the selection of autumn fare.

"What's the problem? We have more groceries to buy, you know." Shikamaru said.

Temari sighed. "It's just… there's a sad lack of dates and prickly pear fruit."

"Well… The Leaf isn't exactly the Sand Village." Shikamaru pointed out.

"I know… But, still." Temari rested a hand upon her round, pregnant belly. "I'd hoped there would be more imports. These cravings are a bit _annoying_."

Reluctantly, she dragged herself away from the stall and followed him, the two continuing their shopping.

"I ought to talk to Gaara more about it." Temari mused as they walked. "You see, not much of the Land of Wind is easily adaptable to a lot of agriculture. We still rely pretty heavily on trade and some good farmland and water sources to the west of the Sand. We have a lot of mineral exports, but very little when it comes to our food. Not only that, but, there aren't many farms in the land of Wind, either. We're a very… martial society. I suppose you could say."

Shikamaru snorted.

"Anyway." Temari went on. "It would just be nice to see more farming and more exchange between the villages. And dates and prickly pear fruit."

Shikamaru shifted his shopping bags to his other hand and intertwined his free one with hers. "Well… Maybe we'll see it someday."

Temari leaned in a little closer, smiling. "I hope so."

"In the meantime…" Shikamaru smirked a bit deviously. "How about we bother Kankuro with a bunch of annoying texts and have him send us a package of some?"

"I like the idea." Temari's smile grew wider.


	13. Mistakes

_Just a little sleep-deprived while writing this, so I'm sorry for any glaring errors, lol. Inspired by a number of things! But I just wanted to come up with something a bit more intense, I think. I tend to write a lot more comedy/domestic fluff for these two._

* * *

Slamming the front door shut behind him, Shikamaru shook off his muddy shoes, though he didn't remove his scuffed and torn flak jacket, and made his way through the house, down the hall, heading to the garden.

"You said you'd be home from your mission earlier! Where have you been all day?" Temari's voice, from behind him, stopped him short and he sighed heavily, deciding it would be best to avoid responding. There were far too many things on his mind at the moment. He continued again out to the garden porch.

Once there, he drew a pack of cigarettes from his pocket, shaking one out with cold fingers. Clenching it between his teeth. Lighter clicking and sparking.

Temari had followed him out and she sat next to him, frowning at him with a mixture of concern and disapproval. "Shikamaru… You agreed with me that you'd quit smoking… You know exactly how horrible those things are and it's not going to be good for your image…"

"I really don't give a fuck about my image." Shikamaru snapped… and then blinked at the sudden, stony, bottled-up hurt on Temari's face, her eyes not meeting his own. "I…" He fumbled for words. "I'm sorry, Temari."

Slowly, she took the cigarette from his mouth, snuffing it out on the gravel below. "You know… it's okay to rely on someone other than yourself if you need to. Was it a difficult mission?" She asked quietly.

"…Yeah." He said a little hoarsely, the memories rushing back. "I'm always expected to be perfect, you know? And I'm not. Realistically, some things just happen, and some people are lost. But I always wonder if I could have tried harder - I always try so hard to prevent it. I'm sure my subordinates on the mission think I could've done better, too. I'm an _important asset _to the Leaf, after all. I'm not supposed to make mistakes. I… don't really want to talk about this anymore. For now, anyway. Please."

"Okay." Temari said simply. "But promise me that you'll continue trying. Don't give up just yet." She placed a warm hand upon his scratched face.

"I promise." Shikamaru said.

"You can't carry all of this yourself. There are others around you, too. And I'll shoulder a little if you need it." She told him.

Shikamaru took a deep breath and then buried his face in the crook of her neck, arms encircling her middle. Temari kissed the top of his head, her arms lowering to embrace him soothingly. And she said nothing about the wetness of tears against her skin.


	14. Game

_Shogi is like… an extra-intense version of chess, haha. But it seems really interesting to play! I just wanted to write up something with the two of them having a match. Lol, sorry this is kinda boring, I do have some other more interesting things I'm working on that I'd like to post eventually. Also, sorry for any typos, I was like, literally, falling asleep when I edited this, lol._

* * *

There was some tranquility in losing oneself in a casual game, there were no outside worries or things to fuss over and all that mattered were the wooden tiles. Sitting calmly on the board like small boats on a still sea, waiting for a wind to catch their sails.

Temari was a decent player - better than most. But she could be rather reckless, and it had just cost her a lance tile. Her brows furrowed beneath her bangs, fingers brushing at her lips in an almost distracting manner.

Shikamaru directed his focus to the board once again, already planning several steps ahead. He quickly promoted one knight. He had to admit, though, that he favored the piece a little too much for its ability to throw off attackers. He preferred to avoid making sacrifices, too, just to gain stronger pieces. A knight was usually his best option to avoid that - losing any pieces that could potentially protect the king wasn't worth it.

Temari had, initially, been rather ruthless in playing when they'd first challenged each other to shogi matches, but, once she'd seen his defensive style, she had become much more cautious over the years.

Her hand hovered over her silver general, and he tried to stop himself from smirking. She could still be a little hot-headed, though.

A while later, Temari sighed, noticing that she wouldn't be able to make any further moves without it leading to defeat.

She shuffled over to Shikamaru's side of the board, resting her head on his shoulder, "My loss. It was a lot closer this time, though." She muttered.

"I guess." He said.

It was growing dark out on the porch and the kitchen lights shone out into the courtyard from a window.

"Shikamaru?" Temari asked softly. So softly that her tone sounded almost unusual.

He glanced at her, her blonde head still resting heavily upon his shoulder. "Hmm?"

"Wanna have another match?" She grinned suddenly.

"You're on." Shikamaru grinned back.


	15. Rain

_I've had this sitting in my WIP folder for several months, so I decided I'd just make some quick edits and post it here as well. The writing is a little rushed, but smut is always fun to come up with. :D_

_(NSFW)_

* * *

They're stranded at a small outpost on the border of the Rain Country, on a diplomatic mission there for the Shinobi Union, the roads washed out by flash floods. (Temari complains about the rain, a first for her, and Shikamaru laughs.) It's not much more than a tiny, leaky shack with some dusty bedrolls, but it's shelter enough. They hang their clothing up to dry above the sunken hearth and push their futons close for warmth.

Sometime in the night, Temari finds that she can't quite sleep, and she restlessly rolls to her side to find that Shikamaru isn't quite sleeping, either.

How many years had they known each other? They had only officially started dating a few months ago, but it seemed like so much longer than that. And, even through all that time, she can't quite begin to tell him just how glad she is that he's alive and there with her. That he's her dearest friend and that he's kind to a fault, sometimes, to the point that it makes her heart ache and that she can't quite imagine what a life without him would be like. But Temari is sure that he knows, and he leans closer to her, in the dark, to kiss her, a hand running through her damp hair.

Still, she has to say it, even if it's something she's not quite used to. So she carefully breaks away and quietly, shakily tells him that she loves him. Shikamaru pulls her into a tight embrace and whispers back that he loves her too. So much that it hurts sometimes. That he sometimes can't fathom what a life without her would be like. That he thinks she's straightforward and brave and that she's beautiful, and does he have to remind her that he'd be dead three times over if it hadn't been for her bluntness? She tells him to shut up, because he's talking too much. But they laugh into each other's shoulders.

The embers glow dimly from the fire, and they kiss again, growing more insistent. It's late, but she doesn't worry in the least that where they may be headed could be a bad idea. It's something they've both wanted for a while.

Shikamaru's hands move over her waist and down over her buttocks, only her underwear a barrier between her skin and his. Temari shifts until she's over him, straddling his lap. With the way he's gazing at her, she wonders, just a little, what she might look like, too. (Having very few qualms about ogling her very shirtless boyfriend.)

With some embarrassment, she removes her bra. Her breasts grow cold in the sudden chill, sensitive nipples hardening. She's felt him beneath her for some time now, but his erection grows even more through his underclothing at seeing her. Carefully, she rocks against him and he shudders, but his hand finds her breast and she shivers as well in response.

Temari lowers her head to kiss him and their skin becomes warmer with every touch, fingers running over scars and angles. In some ways, it's new, and strange, seeing sides of each other they hadn't really seen before. But they also fit into each other so comfortably that they barely fumble at all. She's twenty-three and he's twenty and they'd moved past some awkwardness years ago.

They begin to rock against each other, Shikamaru's arms now holding her fast to him, hot breaths mingling as they kiss, again and again. It almost becomes too much and they both pause, breathing hard and giggling slightly at each other in the awkward lull.

Her underwear is moist and she removes it, sliding it off to the side. Shikamaru is still staring a little dumbly and she snorts with laughter and tugs at his waistband until he takes note of the situation and removes his own.

The two roll over and he's now above her, biting at his lip worriedly. "Are you sure you want to do this?" he asks and she nods, reassuring him with a smile, "I'm sure."

He sinks into her, then, slowly, until he has filled her. And it feels amazing, the warmth and thickness of it. Not quite the same as her own devices back home, in the privacy of her room. And better than she'd repeatedly imagined him to be. Her thighs tighten around his middle and he gives a low groan, going even deeper than she'd thought possible.

They move cautiously, heat building. She begins to gasp with every thrust and moans when he suddenly leans down, his mouth moving to a breast, sucking upon it, every sensation traveling downwards like tingling sparks of electricity between her legs.

His fingers finds her clit and press against it, and her hips rise up into his, pressure building within her. Their growing noises of arousal, the wet sounds and the sensations of their fucking driving her further, his fingers rubbing at her faster and faster, until she comes, crying out, her stomach convulsing with the waves of pleasure. His mouth is on hers once more and he keeps thrusting into her in the aftermath of her orgasm, faster, until she comes again, moaning into his mouth. Finally, he pulls out, gasping in the midst of his own climax, and spills onto the floor, exhaustedly moving to lie next to her.

Their panting slows, but they rest their foreheads together and continue to kiss, smiles slowly spreading across their faces.

The rain continues to rattle against the metal roofing and, having cleaned up, they both cuddle close on one bedroll beneath their blankets, quietly drifting off into slumber.

They awaken a little bewilderedly the next morning, the sky still dark. The rain hasn't relented much at all yet.

"Want to do it again?" Temari asks Shikamaru with a grin and he immediately agrees.


End file.
